Carton



'May 19, 1959 b. LEVKOFF CARTON Filed May 5. 1958 INVENTOR.

BY David Levkoff ATTORNEYS United States PatentO CARTON David Levkoif,Great Neck, NY.

Application May 5, 1958, Serial No. 733,006 4 Claims. or. 220-115 Thisinvention relates to cartons, and, more particularly, to a carton forcarrying beverage bottles and the like.

In my co-pending application Serial No. 672,662, filed July 18, 1957, Idescribed and claimed a bottle carrier structure characterized by suchefiicient use of paperboard and gluing as to ofler considerable savingsin raw material costs. The one-piece paperboard carton blank describedin that application comprises two substantially mirror image portionsintegrally connected along a substantially centrally disposed transversefold line. Each of these portions comprises serially outboard from saidadjacent edges an end wall section, a mainpanel and an opposite end wallsection. Each main panel is provided with at least one longitudinal outline separating the main panel into a lower portion comprising a sidewall panel and an upper portion comprising a handle panel, and a bottompanel is arranged adjacent the lower longitudinal edge of each of theside wall panels.

I have now found that the end wall sections of the erected carton can bemore rigidly anchored intheir proper planar position and that a moreeffective central partition panel can be obtained which is securelyanchored to both the handle portion and to the end Wall sections byrearranging and re-proportioning the anchor panel and the bottom panels.Pursuant to my present invention, the two bottom panels are transverselyserially arranged adjacent the lower longitudinal edge of one of theside wall panels, and the portion of the anchor panel on that side ofits transverse fold line proximate the other side wall panel issubstantially coextensive 1ongitudinally with the handle panel and has atransverse width exceeding the distance between the lower longitudinaledge of the proximate main panel and the lower edge of the handle panel.

The bottle carrier formed from the onepiece blank of my inventioncomprises two juxtaposed handle panels, a side wall panel spaced fromthe proximate handle panel and integrally connected thereto by dividerstrips, and a bottom panel joining the lower edges of the two side wallpanels. One end wall panel of the carrier extends substantially the fullheight thereof and is joined along the lower portion of its side edgesto the ends of the two side wall panels and is joined along the upperportion of its side edges to a connecting panel integrally connected tothe proximate ends of the juxtaposed handle panels. A second endwallpanel is joined along the lower portion of its side edges to the otherends of the two side Wall panels and is joined at its top to the lowerextremity of the other ends of the juxtaposed handle panels. An anchorpanel is integrally joined to at least a portion of the lower edge ofthe second end wall panel, the portion of the anchor panel joined to thesecond end wall panel being folded upwardly into juxtaposition with theinterior surface of the second end wall panel and being provided with anadjacent fold portion connected to the first-mentioned portion along avertically positioned fold line. The latter portion of the anchor panelextends ice centrally of the carton to form a substantially full-heightcentral partition and is adhesively secured along its upper portion tothe inner surface of the proximate handle panel so as to anchor thesecond end wall in place and thus maintain the rigidity of the carrierin use.

These and other novel features of the carton structure of my inventionwill be more readily understood by reference to the accompanyingdrawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a carton blank embodying the invention; and

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the assembled carn'er erected from theblank of Fig. 1.

The carton blank shown in Fig. 1 comprises an approximately rectangularcarton blank provided with a substantially central transverse fold line10 which divides the main body'of the blank into two substantiallymirrorimage main portions 11 and 12. A pair of transverse fold lines 13and 14 is positioned astride the central transverse fold line 10,each ofthe fold lines 13 and 14 extending upwardly from the lower edges 15 and16 of each main portion and across a part of the main portion. Cut lines17 and 18 extend from the upper end of each of the transverse fold lines13 and 14, respectively, in .a diagonally upward direction to verticallyspaced points along the central transverse fold line 10. Thus, the twocut lines 17 and 18, the pair of transverse fold lines 13 and 14, thelower edges 15 and 16 of the twomain portions and the central transversefold line 10 define two substantially symmetrical end wall sections 19and 20. Each of the main portions 11 and 12 is provided with threelongitudinal cut lines 21, 22, 23 and24, 25, 26, respectively. The threelongitudinal cut lines in each main portion are spaced from one anotherin a, laterally staggered relationship so as to define in each of themain portions two hinged divider strips 27, 28,.and. 29, 30,respectively. The divider strips are appropriately hinged by transversefold lines 31, 32 and 33,134, respectively, symmetrically placed betweenthe inner pair of transverse fold lines 13 and 14 and an outer pair of,transverse fold lines 35 and 3,6. These outer transversefold lines 35and 36 are equally spaced from the central transverse fold line 10 anddefine the outermost boundaries of side wall panels 37 and 38 in themain portions 11 and 12,

provided with end wall sections 41 and, 42 advantageously. integrallyconnected to the two main portions alongythe outer pair of fold lines 35and 36, respectively. -.-The end wall sections are also advantageouslyprovidedwith foldingoutboard glue panels 43 and 44 integrally connectedto the end wall sections along a pair of transverse fold. lines 45 and46. The lower longitudinal edge 16 of the. side panel 38 is defined by afold line by.which this.

wall panel is integrally connected to a'pairof bottom walls 47 and 48.The lower longitudinal edge 15 of the other side wall panel 37 isprovided with a. glue flap 49, and one of the handle, panels 39 and40'is provided with a glue flap 50. i

The center anchor panel 51, as shown in Fig. l, is integrally connectedto one of the symmetrical end wall sections 20 alongthe lowerlongitudinal edge 16 there-.. The anchor panel is provided with atransverse.

of. fold line 52 substantially aligned with thecentra'l transverse foldline 10. The portion of the anchor panel on that side of its transverse.fold line which is integrally. connected to the end wall section 20 is;provided with r a longitudinal :cut line 53, positioned between .theout-- board longitudinal edge of the anchor panel and the longitudinalfold line 16 and thus divides this portion of the anchor panel into twosections 54 and 55. The other portion 56 of the center anchor paneldisposed on the side of its transverse fold line opposite thelongitudinal cut line 53 is proportioned so as to be substantiallycoextensive longitudinally with the handle panel 39 and to have atransverse width exceeding the distance between the lower longitudinaledge of the proximate main portion 11 (i.e. the longitudinal fold line15) and the lower edge of the handle panel 39 (i.e. the uppermostlongitudinal cut line 21). Thus, when the anchor panel 51 is folded overabout the line 16, the lowermost extremity of the anchor panel portion56 comes into juxtaposition with the handle panel 39. When the handlepanels are provided with arcuately curved handle openings 57 and 58 asshown in Fig. 1, the lowermost extremity of the anchor panel portion 56is provided with a matching arcuate contour 59.

The bottle carrier of my invention is assembled as follows:

Glue or other adhesive is applied along the arcuate lowermost edge 59 ofthe anchor panel portion 56 and along the opposite diagonal outboardcorner portion 60 of the anchor panel as indicated by the stippled areasshown in Fig. l. The anchor panel is then folded upwardly and inwardlyas a unit about the fold line 16 so that its glued areas make contactwith the handle panels 39 and 40. The two end wall panels 41 and 42 arethen folded upwardly and inwardly about the outer transverse fold lines35 and 36, whereupon glue is applied to the then upper surfaces of theglue flaps 43 and 44. The lowermost bottom panel 48 is thus folded upover the other bottom panel 47, and one side of the thus-folded blank isthereafter folded upwardly and over about the aligned transverse foldlines and 52 until the glue panels 43 and 44 come into juxtapositionwith and are secured to the lateral end of the anchor panel portion 56opposite the transverse fold line 52. In the final operation, glue isapplied to the glue flaps 49 and 50, and these flaps are then foldedover into contact with their cooperating bottom panel and handle panel,respectively.

The thus-assembled carton is then erected simply by applying compressivepressure to the two lateral ends of the folded structure. As thepressure is exerted, the divider strips 27, 28, 29 and 30 swingoutwardly and permit the side wall sections 37 and 38 to swing outwardlyto the final erected position shown in Fig. 2. In this position it canbe seen that the portion 56 of the anchor panel forms a substantiallycomplete central partition for the carrier. The resulting vertical foldbetween the anchor panel portions 56 on one side and portions 54 and 55on the other side of the transverse fold line 52 insures the rigidity ofthis fold line in a vertical position, and the vertical position of thisfold line of the anchor panel is maintained by the gluing of the anchorpanel portion 56 :between the handle panels 39 and 40. Thus, inasmuch asthe position of the fold about the line 52 is maintained in a finedvertical position, the lowermost end of the fold line 52 maintains thelower end of the central transverse fold line 10 in a fixed position byvirtue of the integral fold along the longitudinal fold line 16 betweenthe end wall section 20 and the adjacent portion 55. By thus fixing theposition of the lowermost central portion of the end wall composed ofthe symmetrical end wall sections 19 and 20, and by anchoring thisassembly by the gluing of the laterally extending portion 56 of thispanel to the handle panels 39 and 40, the resulting end wall structureremains rigidly upright and securely holds the bottles in the end wallsections. At the same time, the strain of the weight of bottles in theloaded carrier is distributed from the bottom edge of the end wallsections to the entire area of the handle panels. The entire carrierassembly is held locked in its erected position -by engagement of thejuxtaposed locking 4% notches 61 formed in the glue panels 43 and 44with the proximate locking notch 62 formed in the bottom panels 47 and48. Inasmuch as this locking action resists the normal resilience of thefolded and erected carton, the lock holds firmly and securely.

I claim:

1. In a blank for a bottle carrier comprising two substantially mirrorimage portions integrally connected along a substantially centrallydisposed transverse fold line and each portion comprising seriallyoutboard from said adjacent edges an end wall section, a main panel andan opposite end wall section, each main panel being provided with atleast one longitudinal cut line separating the main panel into a lowerportion comprising a side wall panel and an upper portion comprising ahandle panel, and a pair of bottom panels transversely serially arrangedadjacent the lower longitudinal edge of one of the side wall panels, theimprovement which comprises a center anchor panel integrally connectedto the lower longitudinal edge of at least one of the innermostend wallsections along a longitudinal fold line, the anchor panel having atransverse fold line substantially aligned with the central transversefold line and being provided on one side of its transverse fold linewith a longitudinal cut line positioned between the outboardlongitudinal edge of the anchor panel and the longitudinal fold line bywhich the anchor panel is joined to the end wall section, the portion ofthe anchor panel on the other side of its transverse fold line beingsubstantially coextensive longitudinally with the handle panel andhaving a transverse width exceeding the distance between the lowerlongitudinal edge of the proximate main panel and the lower edge of thehandle panel. W

2. In a blank for a bottle carrier comprising two substantially mirrorimage portions integrally connected along a substantially centrallydisposed transverse fold line and each portion comprising seriallyoutboard from said adjacent edges an end wall section, a main panel andan opposite end wall section, each main panel be ing provided with atleast one longitudinal out line separating the main panel into a lowerportion comprising a side wall panel and an upper portion comprising ahandle panel, a pair of bottom panels transversely serially arrangedadjacent the lower longitudinal edge of one of the side wall panels, anda bottom glue panel adjacent the lower longitudinal edge of the otherside Wall panel, the improvement which comprises a center anchor panelintegrally connected to the lower longitudinal edge of at least one ofthe innnermost end wall sections along a longitudinal fold line, theanchor panel having a trans verse fold line substantially aligned withthe central transverse fold line and being provided on one side of itstransverse fold line with a longitudinal out line positioned between theoutboard longitudinal edge of the anchor panel and the longitudinal foldline by which the anchor panel is joined to the end wall section, theportion of the anchor panel on the other side of its transverse foldline encompassing a major portion of the bottom glue panel and beingsubstantially coextensive longitudinally with the handle panel, saidanchor panel portion also having a transverse width which exceeds thedistance between the lower longitudinal edge of the proximate main paneland the lower edge of the handle panel.

3. In a blank for a bottle carrier comprising two substantiallymirror-image main panels integrally connected along their adjacent edgesby a substantially central transverse fold line, a pair of transversefold lines positioned astride the central transverse fold line extendingupwardly from the lower edge of each main panel and across a portion ofthe panel, a out line extending from the upper end of each of the pairof transverse fold lines diagonally upwardly to vertically spaced pointsalong the central transverse fold line so that the two cut lines, thepair of transverse fold lines, the lower edge of the two main panels andthe central transverse fold line define two substantially symmetricalend wall sections, each of the main panels also being provided withthree longitudinal cut lines vertically spaced from one another inlaterally staggered relation so as to define in the main panel twohinged divider strips between the cut lines and a handle portion abovethe uppermost out line, the lowermost of the longitudinal cut linesjoining the lower end of the proximate diagonal cut line, theimprovement which comprises a bottom panel integrally connected to thelower longitudinal edge of one main panel outboard of the proximatetransverse fold line of the pair thereof and a second bottom panelintegrally connected to the other longitudinal edge of the first bottompanel, a bottom glue panel integrally connected to the lowerlongitudinal edge of the other main panel outboard of the proximatetransverse fold line of the pair thereof, a center anchor panelintegrally connected to the lower edge of at least one of thesymmetrical end wall sections along a longitudinal fold line, the anchorpanel having a transverse fold line substantially aligned with thecentral transverse fold line and being provided on one side of thetransverse fold line with a longitudinal cut line positioned between thelongitudinal edge of the anchor panel and the fold line by which theanchor panel is joined to the end wall section, the portion of theanchor panel on the other side of its transverse fold line having atransverse depth exceeding the distance from the lower longitudinal edgeof the adjoining main panel to the uppermost of the three longitudinalcut lines in the main panel.

4. In a folding bottle carrier formed from a one-piece blank andcomprising when erected two juxtaposed handle panels, a side wall panelspaced from each proximate handle panel and integrally connected theretoby divider strips, a bottom panel joining the lower edges of the twoside wall panels, an end wall panel extending substantially the fullheight of the carrier, said end wall panel being joined along the lowerportion of its side edges to the ends of the two side wall panels andalong the upper portion of its side edges to a connecting panelintegrally connected to the proximate ends of the juxtaposed handlepanels, a second end wall panel joined along the lower portion of itsside edges to the other ends of the two side wall panels and joined atits top to the lower extremity of the other ends of the juxtaposedhandle panels, and an anchor panel integrally joined to at least aportion of the lower edge of the second end wall panel, the portion ofthe anchor panel joined to the second end wall panel being foldedupwardly into juxtaposition with the interior surface of the second endwall panel and being provided with an adjacent fold portion connected tothe first-mentioned portion along a vertically positioned fold line, thelatter portion of the anchor panel extending centrally of the carton toform a substantially [full-height central partition and being adhesivelysecured along its upper portion to the inner surface of the proximatehandle panel.

No references cited.

